Worm Breeder's Gazette 16(3): 31 (June 1, 2000)

These abstracts should not be cited in bibliographies. Material contained herein should be treated as personal communication and should be cited as such only with the consent of the author.

An attempt to slow aging in C. elegans. 14. A positive effect of streptomycin

Vladimir V. Bakaev1,2

1 Box 45, Novosibirsk, 630107, Russia
2 E-mail: bakaev@online.nsk.su

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different concentrations of streptomycin sulphate in water solutions on nematode life span. In this experiment streptomycin sulphate was used in following dilutions: 1:103, 1:104, 1:105, 1:106 and 1:107. Three adult animals (3 - 5 days old) were kept in microtitre wells containing 0,75 ml of liquid medium (with E. coli and without streptomycin sulphate) during 4 hours, then they were discarded and newborn larvae were transferred in next wells (with streptomycin sulphate in any concentration) every day (one worm in one well) beginning from third day. This investigation was carried out in temperature +210C and in the darkness. The obtained results are presented in the following table.

Concentration of
streptomycin sulphate
nLongevity (days)
Mean +- S.E.maximal
Control1210,42 +- 0,6316
1:1031226,75 +- 3,6740
1:1041215,08 +- 2,6037
1:1051212,92 +- 1,5427
1:1061210,25 +- 0,5813
1:1071212,08 +- 1,3825

Conclusion: If streptomycin sulphate solution was applied to C. elegans, it was able to increase their mean as well as maximal longevity only in concentration 1:103, (p<0,001) in comparison with control.

Acknowledgment: The author wishes to express his thanks to CGC for providing C. elegans (Bristol, N2) and E. coli OP50.